Each service included a time of personal testimony where speakers shared something the Lord has been teaching them. What has the Lord been teaching you lately? How can you use that truth to encourage others in your ministry?
Andy Bonikowsky
God is always at work doing more than we think He is doing. In John 5:17, Christ reminds us that “My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.” When we read Romans 8:28, we often focus on the “good” and forget to focus on the fact that “all things work together.” God is the one who is working in the background to make the good happen. Psalm 121 tells us that God never slumbers and is never inactive. Our job is to be faithful. Only faithfulness will see the results of His work.
Roger Bergman
The Marines have a slogan that “Pain is weakness leaving the body.” 
While this may be needed to motivate individuals through boot camp, the truth is that pain does exist in life. We are all called to glorify God, not only through preaching the Word but ultimately through living a holy life. This requires hardship. We are to be strong in grace, not in ourselves. The courage to face hardship comes from God. When the enemy wins and lures us to sin, our hope is that we can repent. We must remember that it is God’s goodness that brings us to the place of repentance. Sin isn’t a failure that we can’t handle, but when we admit that it is sin we can cling to the goodness of God to allow us to repent. The weakness that is needed to repent is what will ultimately make us strong.
Markie Bullock
We are used to waiting on people and culture, but waiting on God is somehow different. We wonder if He is still at work. Yet the Bible teaches us that it is good for us to wait. The problems of waiting are that we don’t like it and it is hard. The problem of not waiting is that we then lean to our own understanding. Abraham believed God’s promise but didn’t wait for his timing and it caused unnecessary problems. Samson had all of the potential but not being willing to wait he killed that potential. There are promises of waiting. Waiting implies an expectation of something to come, and expectations make the waiting worth it. Waiting will give renewed strength. As Spurgeon wrote, “If the Lord Jehovah makes us wait, He is worth waiting for.”
Nathan Fry
We know we should be bold in our stand, but too often in an attempt to be bold, we become brash instead. Graciousness is more important than boldness.
Grace is intended for the foolish.
Grace is for those who need correction.
Grace is for our families.
Grace is for those who sin against us.
Grace is for those who don’t deserve it.
Giving grace when it is undeserved is the whole point! The greatest example of grace is Calvary, and Calvary is also the greatest example of love. Grace and love go hand in hand.
Roy Keiser
In II Corinthians, Paul wrote of his light affliction, yet as we study the context we realize that his troubles were anything but light. He faced much persecution on every side. When we trust God, we will never be crushed between the walls of affliction. In our eyes, any affliction we face is great! Yet when compared to eternity it is fleeting. Regardless of the situation, God wants us to pray through it, even if we feel it is nothing compared to what others face. Our trial is designed for us by God for a purpose. He wants us to seek him in it. Nothing is certain in life, and only God knows the outcome. We must pray. Each of us has our own testimony. We must be faithful to tell it as an encouragement to others.
John Iskat
God is more concerned about the man than the ministry. He doesn’t consider us a failure if we remain faithful. He hides his face from us to test our trust of Him. The stage of ministry you are in now is not the end of your story. Don’t doubt what God is doing. Don’t quit. Don’t stop. His work through you is not over.
*Bro. Iskat referenced the story of David and Svea Flood, missionaries to the Belgian Congo in the early 1920’s, as told in the book Fresh Power by Jim Cymbala. You can click here to read their story.
Stephen Knickerbocker
God gives and God takes away, and we must bless his name in either circumstance. God desires to sanctify the church and the minister. Sometimes the process of sanctification involves removal of what does not glorify God. A church that is small and united in Christ is better than one with large numbers and great divisions. God is in the habit of using small things to accomplish great things. Hope maketh not ashamed. Too often we are ashamed because we forget that God wants to change our situation from hopeless to hopeful. Sometimes sanctification involves adding good that isn’t there yet. God loves us where we are, but desires for us to be more like Christ.